The advent of low cost, reliable imaging devices, based on a variety of silicon technologies, and in particular CMOS technology, combined with an improved cost/performance ratio for displays capable of meeting automotive specifications, and an increasing application rate of video monitor displays for automotive navigation systems or as part of the driver interface to a wide variety of vehicle systems, has lead to an increasing use of cameras or imaging sensors designed to give the driver a view of those areas around the vehicle which are not in the normal direct field of view of the driver, typically referred to as “blind spots”. These areas include the region close to the front of the vehicle, typically obscured by the forward structure of the vehicle, the region along the passenger side of the vehicle, the region along the driver side of the vehicle rearward of the driver, and the area immediately rearward of the vehicle which cannot be seen directly or indirectly through the rear view mirror system. The camera or imaging sensor may capture an image of the rearward (or sideward or other blind spot area) field of view, and the image may be displayed to the driver of the vehicle to assist the driver in backing up or reversing or otherwise driving or maneuvering the vehicle. The use of electronic cameras in these applications significantly increases the driver's knowledge of the space immediately surrounding the vehicle, which may be of importance prior to and during low speed maneuvers, and thus contributes to the safe completion of such maneuvers. However, in order to provide user controls or user inputs to allow the driver or user to control various functions of the camera at the rear or side or front of the vehicle, additional wiring or connections or communication links may be needed between a control and user input in the vehicle and the camera or imaging device at the rear or side or front of the vehicle.
It is known to provide a headlamp control system having an imaging sensor positioned on a vehicle and having a forward field of view. The system may detect headlamps and taillights in the images captured by the imaging sensor. It is also known to provide a lane departure warning system that includes an imaging sensor positioned on a vehicle and having a forward field of view. The lane departure warning system detects lane markers and the like along the road surface in front of the vehicle and determines when the vehicle is drifting out of the lane, and may provide an alert to the driver of the vehicle when such drifting is detected. Such systems typically are separate systems with different, independently operable controls and image processors and imaging sensors.